Arms fugitive refused bail

Mark Russell -Feb 7, 2013

Richard Chichakli is wanted by the US for dealings with arms warlord Viktor Bout.

International fugitive Richard Chichakli who had been living quietly in Melbourne with his Russian girlfriend for more than two years before his arrest last month on Thursday lost his bid to walk free on bail.

Chichakli - wanted over his dealings with the "merchant of death" Viktor Bout, the world's most infamous arms dealer - had claimed he was not a danger to the public and would not try to leave the country if released from the Melbourne Remand Centre.

But magistrate Duncan Reynolds refused his bail application, saying he was a real risk of fleeing Australia if allowed out of prison.

Mr Reynolds told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that the fact Bout had recently been jailed for 25 years would have heightened Chichakli's desire to flee.

An arrest warrant for Chichakli had been issued by the United States Government in 2009 on charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and money laundering.

The US Government wants to extradite Chichakli to face the charges.

He was remanded to appear in court again on March 12.

Federal Police agent Viktor Lewis, in a statement tendered to the court, said Chichakli was allegedly Bout's chief financial manager and held senior positions in several countries controlled by Bout.

"Chichakli is a certified public accountant and fraud examiner and played a significant role in assisting Victor Bout in setting up and managing a number of his key firms and in moving money (both for acquisition of assets and reparation of profits)," he said.

Chichakli entered Australia on June 26, 2010, with his de-facto wife Yuliya Flyagina using a Syrian passport in the name of Jehad Almustafa.

Ms Flyagina lodged visa applications for the couple with the Federal Department of Immigration and Citizenship on July 7, 2009, and as part of the process Chichakli had to undergo a health check by a Commonwealth medical officer.

Chichakli passed the health check and was granted a visa.

He lived in Melbourne, applying for jobs with the Australian Defence Force and Country Fire Authority, until his arrest on January 10 at his rental property in Reservoir.

Mr Lewis said Chichakli was arrested after submitting his fingerprints as part of an application to Victoria Police for a job as a protective services officer.

His fingerprints were positively identified as those of the wanted fugitive Richard Chichakli who was the subject of an Interpol red-alert notice

He had a Medicare card, Victorian driver's licence, Victorian proof of age card and Tax Office file number all in the name of Almustafa, and had taken six overseas trips while living in Melbourne.

US officials allege Chichakli helped Bout - portrayed in fictional form by Nicolas Cage in the movie Lord of War - illegally buy planes in the US and had links to former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, who was sentenced last year to 50 years' jail for war crimes.

Chichakli, a Syrian-born US citizen, has allegedly been on the run since April 2005, when the FBI and Treasury Department raided his home near Dallas, Texas. It was rumoured he went to Syria, then Moscow.